Car-coupling.



No. 698,970. Patented Apr. 29, I902.

' H. T. KRAKAU.

CAR COUPLING. (Applicatioh filed Aug. 21, 1901.)

2 Sheets-Sheet I.

(No Model.)

wrmssses m: uomm PETERS no. PHOTO-LHMQ, wuamumn, a. c.

No. 698,970. Patented Apr. 29, I902.

' H. T. KRAKAU'.

CAR COUPLING.

' [Application filed Aug. 21. 1901.). (No Model.) '2 Sheets$heet 2.

whmsses UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HARRY T. KRAKAU, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO, ASSIGNOR TO THE NATIONAL MALLEABLECASTINGS COMPANY, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO, A CORPORA- TION OF OHIO.

CAR-COUPLING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 698,970, dated April29, 1902.

Application filed August 21, 1901. $erial No. 72,755. (No model.)

To all whom it may conc ern:

Be it known that I, HARRY T. KRAKAU, of Cleveland, in the county ofCuyahoga and State of Ohio, have invented a new and useful Car-Coupling,of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description,reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of thisspecification, in which Figure 1 shows two of my improved couplerscoupled together and in draft. Fig. 2 is a diagram view, on a smallerscale, showing the connection of the couplers to the cars. Fig. 3 is aView like Fig. 1', but showing my couplers in buffing. Each of Figs. 4and 5 shows one of my couplers connected with a coupler constructed asheretofore.

Heretofore in the construction of automatic couplers it has beencustomary to construct the front wall of the coupler head at an angle tothe front wall of the knuckle when locked, so that when the knuckles arelocked together there shall be free space or clearance, allowing play tothe parts and render ing the couplers flexible, so as to permit the carsto travel on curves. This construction, however, results in seriousdisadvantages. In buffing or pushing the front wall of the knuckle isnot backed and supported by any surface, the strain of buffing andpushing is exerted solely on the extreme ends of the knuckles, and as'aconsequence the knuckles are almost always bent, and frequent breakagesresult from the fatigue of the metal,which the bending back and forthof-the knuckle occasions, My invention is designed to avoidthesedifliculties and to provide a coupler of greatly-increased strengthand durability. I accomplish this by forming the coupler-head so thatits front wall is substantially parallel with the front wall of theknuckle when locked instead of being at a considerable angle, asheretofore, and preferably I make these lines atright angles to the lineof draft of the draw-bar. Then in order to afford the necessaryflexibility I connect the draw-bar or its connected draft-riggingpivotally to the frame of the car. The consequence is that in buffing orpushing the front of the knuckle comes into contact with the front wallof the coupler-head and is backed and supported thereby, so that it isnot apt to bend and break, and by doing away with the clearancespaceabove mentioned thickness of metal may be added to the coupler-head andknuckle in the vicinity of I the knuckle-pivot, and greatly-increasedstrength is thus secured. I am also enabled to use a pivot-pin ofgreater diameter than heretofore, and the lines of my coupler diminishgreatly the possibility of accidental'disengagement of the knuckles fromeach other when in use.

In Fig. 1 of the drawings, 2 2 represent the coupler-heads, 3 3 are theknuckles, and 4 4 the pivot-pins. The walls I) b of the couplers insteadof being formed at angles to the front walls 0 o of the knuckles areparallel therewith and are preferably at right angles to the line ofdraft d d of the draw-bars. The consequence is that in buffing the wallsb 1) con-. stitute a support for the knuckle and back the same, and theadvantages above indicated are secured. This construction results insubstantial rigidity of connection of the knuckles when coupled and doesnot permit lateral flexibility of the couplers at the knuckles.Sufficient flexibility is, however. provided by connecting thedraft-riggings of the draw-bars to the car-frame in a pivotal manner atpoints 5 5, Fig. 2, which are back of the position of the end sills andsubstan:

tially. coincident with the centers of motion of the car-trucks, andthis pivotal connection is preferably made as described and shown in myreissued Patent No. 11,904, granted to me on April 9, 1901.

In Fig. 1 I show two of my improved couplers as they are when in draft.In Fig. 2 I show them as they are when the cars are passing around acurve. In Fig.3 I show them as they are during buffing andpushing. InFig. 4 I show one of my improved couplers A connected with a coupler Bof former construction, shown as they are when the cars are passingaround a curve to the right.

Those skilledin the art will be able to modify the form of the parts tosuit couplers of different construction, since What I claim is 1. Acoupler having a coupler-head and knuckle, the front walls of the headand knuckle being substantially parallel when the knuckle is closed andthe coupler-head being connected with the car by a pivotal connectionsubstantially coincident with the center of motion of the car-truck.

2. A coupler having a coupler-head and knuckle, the front walls of thehead and knuckle beingsubstantially parallel when the knuckle is closed;and the coupler being. pivotally connected with the car at a point backof the position of the end sill.

8. A coupler having a coupler-head and knuckle, the front walls of thehead and knuckle being substantially parallel when the knuckle isclosed, and substantially at right angles to the line of draft of thecoupler, and

. HARRY T. KRAKAU.

\Vitnesses:

O. K. BROOKS, D. W. CALL.

